Information For Individuals & Families

Preparing for public health emergencies involves the whole community, including individuals, community organizations and leaders, government and the private sector. It is important that you as an individual do your part to be better prepared to protect yourself, your family and your community.

Individual & Family Preparedness

Stay Connected/Informed: Register for Notify NYC to receive alerts through Notify NYC, NYC’s official source for information about emergency events and important City services. Registration is free.

Make a Family Emergency Plan: Develop a family emergency plan to prepare you and your family for what to do, how to find each other and how to communicate during an emergency. As part of your emergency plan, you can create a Personal Health Summary that included information about your medications and health that can be useful in case of any emergencies and/or evacuations.

Emergency Supplies: Every household should have a Go Bag in the event you need to evacuate and emergency supplies in the event you need to shelter in place.

Know your neighbors: Check on your neighbors who may be isolated from friends and family, especially those who are elderly, very young and have preexisting medical conditions. One tool for helping neighbors connect and share information is Nextdoor.com, a private and free social network for you and your community.

Children

Include your children in preparing for emergencies. Below are some helpful hints to get started.

Children should know their family name, address and phone numbers

Children should know where to meet in case of an emergency

Understand the emergency plans for your child’s school or day care facility

Provide the facility up-to-date contact information for how to reach you or an authorized relative/friend

Caring for Children During Emergencies

Be aware of children’s reaction to stressful and traumatic events, so you can recognize them. Their reactions may vary depending on their age and understanding of what happened.

Stay calm, as your reactions affect your children. If they see you extremely worried, it can make them feel afraid and insecure.

Talk to your children about what happened, answer their questions in a way that they can understand and let them express their feelings.

Reassure your children about their safety and that they are in no way responsible for what happened.

Limit their exposure to disturbing news and images by limiting the amount of television they watch.

People with Disabilities

If you are a person living with a disability, you should have well-developed plans for how you locate, navigate and access resources for daily living. Planning ahead for a possible emergency can help you remain as independent as possible. Below are some helpful tips to get started. Learn more about how to prepare and how to make a plan.

Create a support network with family, friends, neighbors, and/or caregivers to help each other during an emergency

If you receive home-based care, develop and discuss your plan with caregivers in advance

If you receive home-based care, develop a plan with your caregivers in advance

American Red Cross: Each year, an average of more than 9 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies through American Red Cross training classes, including First Aid, AED and CPR training. Get engaged. Get certified. Get inspired.

Additional Information

Learn more about how to be prepared for emergencies.

Learn how to cope with stressful and traumatic events. The stress from unexpected emergencies can be overwhelming, but if we are mentally and emotionally prepared, we can manage better. Learn more to understand what you can do to cope with disasters and other stressful and traumatic events.